The Witches' Spell- All's Well That Ends Well
by ghostdominion6
Summary: Snow falling... So much snow... It made Mina want to puke. Snow's a beautiful thing... Why couldn't it be beautiful for her?


_Surprised? Yes, my grand mission was a near-complete success, but that is no reason for me to isolate myself from all of you brilliant brilliant viewers... Indeed, you very same beings that allowed this triumph of mine to come to pass with such little effort! To live amongst death... Magnificent.  
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_Anyways, never got to have a true Halloween special... so this will have to do; our... 'plans' never left any wiggle room of the sort. However, it would be a true shame if you never bore witness to this in some form or another, so here you go. Out-of-context is more than enough for everyone who abandoned their dear heroines for the greater good...  
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_To keep this brief, once everything is back in some sort of order, I will return with news of what's happening... and what the future holds in store. Thank you... my friends..._

_Now... what is this, I wonder?_

_- **The Author**_

* * *

><p><strong>Uninvited Guest<strong>

A flash! Mina diverted her eyes from the new light before her, shining brighter than the midday sun. In doing so, she caught sight of a peculiar figure, standing no more than a few feet away.

"Hello fool," the figure spoke. Wait... is that...?

The scholarly oracle raised a curious eyebrow at the familiar mysterious woman, who she could now see was wearing skimpy gothic witch garb. "You again?... W-Who are... you?"

That vile woman smirked like the smug bitch she is. "Such a foolish, foolish woman... How are you an oracle, again? The mere fact that Lowee can operate at all is nothing short of a miracle."

"... I asked you a question."

"And you expected an answer!?" The woman we all know as 'Arfoire' folded her arms, that shit-faced grin eating her pasty-white face. "Why would I ever consult with a useless commoner like you? No... less than a commoner. You're dirt."

The oracle clenched her fists, eyes deadlocked on this stranger. "... Leave me alone. I have something very important to attend to, so please-"

"Hah! What, it's your 'duty' to save the day? You think you'll be a hero by storming into this castle?"

"... It's not about that. It's my duty as an oracle to uphold balance in Gamindustri. Leanbox is in danger, so-"

"So what!? Where does that put you?"

Mina eyed the woman with confused hatred. We all know who this devil is, but the oracle still had no real idea in the slightest. "W-What are you s-saying?"

Arfoire rolled her eyes, leaning her cheek into her hand. "Why should you care about Gamindustri? Balance or not, you'll always be the same: a useless fool, forsaken by every single ally you thought you had."

"W-Who are you? What business do you have with me!?"

"Heh heh heh," was the only reply. Composure wavering, the oracle turned back to head further into the castle, her footsteps echoing off the beautiful marble floor. After walking a few feet, however, the villainous cretin stood before her again. "We're not done yet."

No matter where she turned, the witch was right there to greet her. "W-W-What do you want!?"

"..." Arfoire softly lifted her left foot, slowly drawing out the movement before taking a single step. Maintaining that pattern, the Deity of Sin agonizingly inched closer to the troubled woman, almost as if she were walking in slow motion. Closer and closer, no matter where she turned...

"S-Stop!" But that was an unheeded command. Right foot... Left foot... Right, left, right, left...

Right... Left... Right... Left...

Empty eyes... Soulless, uncaring eyes, which not only threatened to consume the oracle...

... but promised to.

"B-Back away! L-Leave me al-" But it was a futile endeavor to resist. Arfoire reached the helpless woman, and firmly gripped her forehead with her cold, lifeless hand. Her fingernails, sharp as knives, scraped Mina's tender skin.

At once, the witch's voice blared in her conflicted head.

"How does it feel, huh? To not be loved by a single living entity in this world?"

"W-W-Wha-"

"You've had the right idea all along: your life is useless. All those long nights where you despaired over how pathetic you are... They were completely justified."

"N-No..."

"Hehe... I'm doing you a favor... I'm giving you the perfect opportunity to _die_."

Before she realized what was happening, Mina once again found herself separated from the Deity of Sin by a couple of feet, the beast now brandishing an old-fashioned bayonet. She took a single step forward.

Blaringly, Arfoire's voice spoke up again in her brain. "I'm giving you the honor of dying by my hand, you worthless skank. If you cooperate, you may not even feel a thing... Much more than you deserve, frankly."

The witch, wearing an ear-to-ear grin, chuckled her trademark laugh, and raised the bladed gun. Mina instinctively tensed up, and in what was perhaps a fit of madness, she made a quick dash towards her would-be murderer.

The devil swung the knife diagonally downwards, the oracle contorting just enough to avoid the weapon's wide reach. She was unharmed, although a strand of her long, milk-blue hair didn't have such luck.

In retaliation, Mina kicked her right foot upwards, directly into the villain's ankle. Caught off-guard, Arfoire dropped the bayonet, which the scholarly woman all-too-happily snatched up. Not letting this chance go to waste, she swung the blade straight through her attacker... who promptly fizzled out as if she were a hologram.

"Ooh, a fighter... I'm excited..." Another chuckle echoed through her mind, and Arfoire instantly reappeared a few more feet away, slowly rounding a corner. "I love it when a trapped animal goes out like a rabid beast."

Life or death... Whatever was happening, one thing was certain: Mina's life was in danger.

**I'll face myself- Self Defense**

No matter how depressed she had been for the past year, no matter how useless she thought she was... she wasn't going to lay down and die. Not here... Not now...

"..."

Taking a deep breath, the oracle tightly clutched the bladed gun, closed her eyes, and ran down the hall. Arfoire smirked and jabbed her own new weapon forward, prickling her target's shoulder. A yelp of pain escaped Mina's lips, but she quickly slashed back with her blade, burying it straight through the devil's arm. Once again, she vanished.

"Impressive... If only you could be so useful in any other facet of life, right?"

That horrid smirk popped out from a doorway directly before the scholarly woman. Mina wasted no time and flipped her gun around, smacking her in the face with the wooden end. From there, she bolted off in the direction of Green Heart's chambers.

"How useless are you? You can't even die without looking like a pathetic wimp. No friends, no family, no lover... You have NOTHING!"

At once, two Arfoires appeared from behind, leaping up in the air with their bayonets pointed towards Mina's head. The oracle twisted her chest to the right, accidentally colliding into the wall of the claustrophobic hallway. One of the blades grazed her left shin, but she bit her tongue and sliced the blade through one Arfoire's navel.

"You will ALWAYS have NOTHING!"

The other attacker swung the back of the bladed gun like a baseball bat, further slamming her into the wall. Nearly out of breath, Mina raised her right foot and kicked outwards, causing Arfoire's knee to buckle. "Ngh!" Grunting with pained effort, she pointed the gun towards her downed opponent and fired, more out of pure emotion than premeditation. Blood spilled from around Arfoire's left leg, and she promptly vanished.

Limping now, the oracle continued on, eyeing every doorway cautiously.

The grand hall right outside Vert's room was just beyond this thin corridor... Four open doors stood between Mina and her goal; stood between Mina and Gamindustri's future.

Slowly, slowly, slowly... A quick dart of the head to the first left door: nothing. Same for the right; just a water closet.

The scholarly woman made it to the second set of doors, and felt a prickling sensation on the nape of her neck, as if someone was staring straight at her from behind. No one in sight. Nothing in sight. No one. Nothing.

Nothing... Nothing... Nothing... Something? Something... Something!

Hands protruded from both doors, restraining Mina by violently clutching her arms. She uttered out a surprised shriek of pain, convulsing her body in a desperate attempt to escape.

"It's over... Don't worry: No one will miss you. Not Little Miss White Heart, not those moronic young brats... and not even that disgusting tome you hang around. Maybe Hell will bring you more peace."

All was lost... Was Mina really going to die here? To die like this?

"... N-No!" She vowed then and there: She would never fall to this devil's hands. As long as her attackers wore Arfoire's sick, twisted face, she refused to die.

One simple shriek, and the oracle managed to elbow the Arfoire to her right firmly in the stomach, knocking the air out of her. The one to the left was caught completely by surprise at the woman's strength, and absentmindedly let go. A prick by the gun to her waist, and both Arfoires were down.

"You fool! Why do you fight!? You have nothing to gain! Your name shall never know glory!"

Mina's breath was in shambles. "... Because," she began, before casting her eyes towards her feet. She couldn't fight against anything Arfoire said; it was exactly how she thought of herself. Useless, pathetic, weak, unloved, foolish... She was really nothing, wasn't she?

Looking up towards the high ceiling, she went on. "Because... it's all I have left... You're right; I AM a weak and pathetic person, who's never done a correct thing in her life... Who doesn't deserve anyone's love... But today, I can finally do something right! I can do something only I can! For once in my life... I'd like to be successful." With that declared to the sky, she made it to the grand hall.

...

The first thing she noticed was the large, beautiful clear window, the world outside looking so small. The castle wasn't the highest structure in Gamindustri, or perhaps even Leanbox, but it was high enough to make an acrophobic cry for his mother.

However, it wasn't the height that caused her heart to sink...

In the far distance, Mina saw a grand vessel depart the landmass... Any fool could tell that it was Lady Green Heart's ship, heading straight for Jade in Lastation. She was... too late? This had all been for... nothing?

"No... N-No..."

"Hmhmmhmm... Would you look at that..." Arfoire yet again reappeared, this time just a few feet behind her. The oracle clenched her fists and turned around very... very... slowly. "Failed... again."

That did it. A guttural cry escaping her throat, Mina raised the bayonet and dashed towards the Deity of Sin.

"Leave..."

The blade, aiming for the attacker's chest.

"... ME..."

Two sets of eyes: one set bloodthirsty, the other frightened and confused.

"... ALONE!"

Time slowed to a weak crawl, as if the world itself were dying. Mina, mere inches from Arfoire... The two stared into each others eyes. Pure hate and malice was all that looked out...

Arfoire's twisted smile taunted the oracle; berated her very existence.

Closer, closer... How Mina yearned to see that smirk twist into a pale, cowering frown. To see this devil's eyes cloud over in her last moments of life...

Slowing... Slowing... Slower... Slower... Stop!

Everything stopped... A single second, lasting an eternity. Mina could practically feel Arfoire's breath.

...

The bayonet was so close to the Deity's stomach... but it never reached its destination.

All in a single moment... Arfoire's smiling pale face, suddenly gone! In its place...

... was a young glasses-wearing woman, clad in green armor with red highlights. Her eyes terrified, her mouth agape...

... and her hands defensively lunging a bayonet forward.

"!" Mina could only gasp as she instantly brought her advance to a complete halt. Too late...

A horrible, disgusting squishing sound filled the hall as time unpaused itself. The oracle's eyes widened, now looking straight into the terrified girl's eyes.

What made that sound? Just replaying it over and over in her head made her feel nauseous.

The guard, unsure what to do, took several dazed steps forward, towards the window. Mina found herself moving in the same direction. Come to think of it... she felt something... shift inside of...

... No doubt now. She slowly lowered her head, and noticed red leaking onto the guard's hand. She couldn't get any better look than that... but she got the gist of it.

Mina's entire body quaked in a cold shudder, and she closed her eyes, now feeling disgustingly sick. "Y-Y-Y-Y-Yo... Y-You...?"

Suddenly, the scholarly woman tightly clutched the girl's arms, violently scraping her fingernails into her skin. Mina's hands began to spasm in pure shock, her mind not sure how to process all this information.

"Y-Yo-Yo-You-You..." Incoherent sobs. Sharp hands, desperately clawing at the poor girl's skin.

The Leanbox guard began to cry as well. Tears streamed down from her young, horrified eyes...

In the heat of the moment, she made a spontaneous choice.

A loud crack from the barrel, echoing across the hall... That cruel sound piercing painfully though everyone's ears...

**Green Bird**

Mina propelled off of the bayonet, stumbling backwards against the now-cracked glass. The weight of the woman was too much for the damaged window to take...

...

Falling... Falling...

_"Mina... Come on, poopface! Why are you so slow?"_

Everything... falling...

_Can you... read us a... bedtime story again? I'm... scared."_

Glass shards. Dark clouds. The occasional drop of rain.

_"Why the hell do we have to leave? I ain't afraid of no stinkin' dragons! I'll kick their asses!" the CPU groaned, her voice just lower than a scream._

_Mina shook her head like a stern mother. "This is for your own good, Blanc. I'm keeping you and the children safe."_

_"Hmph! I don't NEED your protection."_

Normal citizens, pointing up at Leanbox castle. Some in shock, some crying, some simply passing by.

_"You're so old, Mina! You're like an old grannie! How do you not know the new 3D Pocketed Monstrosities?"_

_"All the cool kids are... playing it!"_

The grass was a beautiful shade of green... Perfect grass.

_Histoire's smiling face. Calm, inviting, all-knowing._

Drop... Drop... Drop... Drop...

_Lowee's oracle looked at the fairy curiously. "... Do you have someone to love?... And don't give me any crap about Purple Heart!... Anyone you, like, really love?"_

_Histoire blushed lightly and looked downwards. "No, I'm afraid I don't... But I don't need anyone else. As long as I can take care of Neptune and Nepgear, then I am content... You should feel the same about Blanc and the children."_

Cruel sun... Hiding behind clouds. What are you hiding from?

_"Hmph! It's not right, Histoire... Seeing Kei and Blanc so happy together... It's not fair!"_

_"What's not fair, Mina-dear?"_

_"... Kei, the anti-social businesswoman, managed to find love. And yet, here I am: Alone, with no one out there to care about me. Someone like her can find a companion, while I... I am left to live the rest of my days in solitude... It pisses me off!"_

Despite a slight cold chill in the windy air, the trees stood perfectly still. Frozen... In shock, or out of respect?

_Snow falling... So much snow... It made Mina want to puke. Snow's a beautiful thing... Why couldn't it be beautiful for her?_

Less sporadic rain drops... It was a full-on downpour now. Crying clouds. Tears of sadness... or laughter?

_"... Histoire...? I-I can't accept this... I can buy my own drinks. You don't need to do this for me."_

_"No, Mina, I must. I read that it is customary for friends to buy each other drinks when they are depressed, and you are clearly depressed!... T-Tonight, you and I are celebrating, and that's final! It's the least I can do for my best friend."_

Could the sky get lonely? Does the sun get lonely every time it sets?

_"... T-Thank you, Histoire... Y-You're my best friend, too..."_

An eternity... An eternity's not that long, y'know? All the time in the world... yet never enough.

_"I'll always be here for you, Mina. You're the closest friend I have... I'll help you, one way or another!"_

_"... Thank you..."_

Against the wind and the rain, the birds still flew on. What type of birds? Too fast to tell. Fly away, fly away.

_Always yearning for something... she already had? Come back! Come back! She realizes now! She's figured everything out!_

The impartial castle, looking down at the wretched scene unfolding. The castle didn't care... The sky didn't care. The clouds didn't care. The trees didn't care. The birds didn't care. The grass didn't care. The sun didn't care.

Did anyone care? Would anyone ever care?

_"Mina... Dammit, don't do this! We all... We all need you, okay?... Don't make me repeat myself!"_

The pavement below... The only source of pity. The rain's enigmatic tears stained the beautiful concrete.

_"N-No! D-Don't go, Mina!"_

_"Please don't... leave us."_

Falling. Shards of glass. Rain. Silence. Tears.

Time... not stopping. Stop! STOP!

_"We love you, Mina. The children, Blanc... and I as well. I-I'd be lost without you! Stay with me. Stay with us!"_

Faster, faster! Too fast!

_"I'm... I'm scared..."_

Fading... fading... fad...

**_"This way, Mina."_**

...

With a profound fleshy crack, Mina crashed into the pavement.


End file.
